My Own Prison
by KikutaMaster
Summary: Hiei's life is threatened by the very thing that gives him power: the Jagan. Preferring to solve it alone, he abandons his friends and returns to the Demon World. But he may learn an unexpected lesson on companionship in the process. Rated for languange.
1. Headache

"I hate my job, I hate my job, I hate my job…"

"Shut up. At least _you're _gettin' paid."

"Yeah, man. How do you rope us into this every single time?"

Summer for the Spirit Detectives, and so far no one was having fun. The Dark Tournament had ended some months ago and, bored, Yusuke had ventured into the work force. If you could label shelving books at the library as such. Determined not to go down alone, he brought Kurama, Kuwabara, and Hiei to work with him every chance he got. And, less frequently, got them to do his job for him. Today all four were spread out among the shelves of the empty library. Thus they could afford to shout complaints to each other across the room.

"Ah, can it!" Yusuke told Kurama and Kuwabara, "Like you got somethin' better to do."

"Yeah, we'd all be at my place playin' Halo 2," Kuwabara told him, "Not that it's much fun without _your _ass to kick…" he added quieter.

The book missed his head by an inch.

"Knock it off or you're _all _fired!" the librarian shouted from the front desk.

"You two are always whining," Yusuke said, "I don't hear Hiei complaining."

"I don't hear Hiei at all…" Kurama said worriedly.

"What are you doin', Little Man?" Yusuke called above the shelves.

Hiei, at the very back, was brought out of his own mind and into the real world once more at the sound of his name. He glanced at the stack of books on the ground beside him he hadn't put back yet, and then looked up in the direction of Yusuke's voice.

"What?" he called back.

Kuwabara leaned from his aisle to see the little demon better. "Have you heard anything we've said?"

"Is he back there reading again?" Yusuke called angrily, "I'll kick his ass!"

"I think I've read this same call number twenty times now…" Hiei muttered.

"What's wrong?" Kuwabara asked.

"I got a headache." Hiei said, making room on a shelf for one of the books from his pile.

"Really?" Yusuke asked incredulously.

"Yes," Hiei said, "Why is that so surprising?"

"I…don't think I've ever heard you say that before," Yusuke said, "I guess I always just figured you never got 'em. Not that that's very realistic though…"

"I used to get them all the time," Hiei said quietly, "Early on, right after the implant. But I just ignored them and eventually they stopped."

Yusuke glanced toward the door to make sure his boss hadn't overheard. Not that it mattered; she already knew there was something odd about her four 'employees'. She just couldn't figure out what.

"Is that what it is?" he asked.

"No, this is more like a I'm-really-tired-and-don't-want-to-be-here-right-now headache," Hiei growled.

"Quit readin' call numbers, then," Yusuke told him, "It won't help. Go hang out with Cheryl. We're almost done."

Reluctantly Hiei added his remaining books to Kuwabara's stack, and went up and sat behind the desk with the librarian. She smiled at him and ruffled his hair. He tried not to snap at her.

But Yusuke was wrong. Not having the numbers dance in front of his eyes didn't help. Not even after they all went home.

The headache didn't go away.


	2. Miss

The next day was Saturday, Yusuke didn't have to work, and true to their word, the boys were all at Kuwabara's house playing Halo. Botan found them in the boy's room, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke all laying stomach-down on the bed with a controller in their hands, and Hiei curled up on the floor at the foot of the bed watching with little interest.

"I hate the 3 player screen," Kurama said, "The black one in the corner messes with me."

"I know, it's like a blind spot," Kuwabara agreed.

"Hiei, call in so we can get a visual on that screen," Yusuke told him, "We won't shoot you, you don't have to play."

No response.

"Hiei," Yusuke looked down and tapped the demon's shoulder.

"What?" Hiei looked up, almost dazed.

"Are you that out of it?" Kuwabara asked, not looking away from the screen.

"Why? What's wrong with him?" Botan knelt down to where Hiei was.

"He's not feelin' so hot," Yusuke said, taking the fourth controller and adding another player. "He's had this bad headache for the past couple days and it's really bringin' him down."

"You feel up to bringing down the demon we found in the park?" Botan asked him.

Hiei bolted up. "Sure!" he said.

"Oh, right, like if you don't got it in you to fight us on here, you're gonna be any match for the real deal," Kuwabara said.

Hiei frowned and picked up the fourth controller. His player threw a grenade behind Yusuke's rock, hammered Kurama's player with the machine gun, and Kuwabara's player took a sniper shot to the head.

"Triple - kill…" the automated voice announced.

"Can we go now?" Hiei asked.

* * *

"_!_"

The escapee in the park was a long gray snake-like demon. It had only two feet near the front end of its body, used for balance as it swung its whip of a tail.

"We get to kill it, right?" Hiei asked.

"It already injured two people," Botan said, "And ate another."

"Gross…" Kuwabara made a face.

"Guys? Give me a distraction?" Yusuke asked.

The other three took off for the demon.

Its slitted eyes fell on Kuwabara, to its left. Which was good for Hiei, because he was already coming in on the right. And then something really strange happened. It had never happened to him before, and he couldn't figure out why it happened now.

When Hiei raised his sword to strike the beast, he was sure he'd aimed for its shoulder. But when the sword came down, it missed.

"What?!" Hiei barely had time to get the word out before the massive tail slammed into his back. He hit the ground, saw stars, and scrambled up in time to see Yusuke's spirit gun vaporize the half-snake.

"Nice distraction," Kurama held out a hand to help him up. Hiei ignored it and stood.

"What was that?" Yusuke yelled, running up to them, "Did you _mean_ to miss?"

"Yes, Yusuke, I deliberately refrained from harming the rampaging monster." Hiei raised an eyebrow.

"Right…" Yusuke said, "Then what happened? I've never your aim so off!"

"It was barely an inch!" Hiei bristled.

"Try a foot, man," Kuwabara corrected.

"Yeah, it was almost like you couldn't even see-" Yusuke stopped and trailed off. He stared at Hiei a moment. The little demon made an impressive effort to avoid eye contact.

"Hiei?" Yusuke asked very seriously.

"What?" he replied, still looking away.

"Is there something wrong with your eye?" Yusuke questioned.

"No," Hiei answered, now looking up at the boy, "Why would you think that?"

True, the headache he'd had seemed to originate from his forehead. And yes, he did lose his second sight just before attacking the snake. But it was only for a second and he chalked it up to jet lag. He got that sometimes.

"Hiei," Yusuke said.

"There is nothing wrong with the Jagan!" Hiei said, "There can't be."

Yusuke wasn't convinced.


	3. Author's Note

Hey there all. KM has a few things she'd like to talk to you about, so here's a quick author's note for you. Sorry it's not a new chapter. lol

**About the Story: **I thought up the entire plotline during the two and a half hours I was working at MY town library (thus the first chapter) last week. So it may seem a little rushed and not entirely well thought out. Personally, I don't think it's some of my best work, but I'm enjoying writing it, so I hope you are enjoying reading it.

**About the Chapters: **Yeah, they're very short. I'm trying really hard to put more into them, but it's been so long since I wrote anything substantial…also, I'm sorry I didn't get the second chapter up as quick as I promised (or at least to Kris XD) but was having some tech issues on Saturday. I already have the first 3 chapters written, but I won't post the third until the fourth is done. I like to stay one step ahead. Of myself. lol

OK, well I won't keep you all from reading anymore. Thanks for your patience and support. Enjoy the next chapter. :)


	4. Reassurance

"I'm fine! So I screwed up an easy shot! Kuwabara does that all – will you stop that?!"

After the encounter in the park, the four had returned to Yusuke's house and Yusuke had insisted on looking Hiei over. All four boys crowded into the bedroom, Hiei crouched on the mattress, and Yusuke started his examination. So far, the little demon was being uncooperative.

"Just let me see it!" Yusuke snapped, and when Hiei turned away, he grabbed the smaller boy's hair and made him turn back.

"It looks fine, Yusuke," Kurama said, glancing at the glowing third eye Hiei was usually so proud of.

"He feels fine," Kuwabara added.

"What does that mean?" Yusuke asked, letting go of Hiei's head.

"I mean his energy," Kuwabara said, "It feels the same. I think you're just paranoid."

"Oh, so I'm the only one who saw him bomb the sneak attack?" Yusuke demanded.

"I'm fine." Hiei said angrily, "There's nothing wrong with me. There's nothing wrong with the Jagan. And I am done talking to you about it."

Yusuke couldn't stop the blur before it was gone.

"Hiei!" Yusuke snapped but stopped at the bedroom door. "Oh, come on…"

Keiko, who had been waiting for them when they arrived, was sitting on the couch and reading. In an attempt to thwart Yusuke, Hiei had sought refuge with the girlfriend.

"Well, he knows how to beat me, I'll give him that," Yusuke said but went into the living room anyway.

Keiko didn't look up as Yusuke approached. Hiei moved closer to her. She smiled and ruffled his hair, ignoring Yusuke studiously as he watched them.

Keiko, despite what she'd seen of him at the Dark Tournament, could never get over the fact that Hiei looked like he could be ten years old. She treated him like a kid, and though usually Hiei loathed this kind of attention, today it was working in his favor. She cuddled him and Yusuke would not bother him for fear of angering Keiko.

"Hiei, come on," Yusuke said, "I'm not done. I'm just trying to help."

Silence.

"Leave him alone, Yusuke," Keiko said, "He's spending some time with me."

"He doesn't need time with you," Yusuke said.

"Well, I want some time with him," Keiko said haughtily, "You see him everyday. This is my turn."

In a purely childish, and purely human gesture, Hiei stuck his tongue out at Yusuke.

"Oh, that's mature!" Yusuke snapped, "Tell her why you don't want to talk to me, Hiei."

Silence.

"Yusuke," Keiko closed the book and looked him in the eye, "I said, leave him alone."

"…fine…" Yusuke gave up and went in toward the kitchen. He leaned over the edge of the couch and whispered to Hiei on the way, "But she can't protect you forever…"

Hiei watched him go. When he didn't come back, Keiko sighed and turned to the demon beside her.

"I think you ought to tell me what this is about," she said.

* * *

"And I don't think there's anything wrong. I don't know what he's so upset about."

Hiei spent the next half hour telling Keiko about the library the day before and the fight that morning. She listened without saying anything, but he could tell she was worried too. The other two boys had long gone home and Yusuke had yet to return from whatever part of the house he'd wandered off to.

"But I don't want him upset," Hiei admitted, "Or the others."

"Hiei, he's going to worry about you no matter what happens," Keiko told him, "That's Yusuke. It's kind of what he does."

She smiled but he looked away.

"He cares about you, Hiei," Keiko turned his head back towards her. "All of us do."

His eyes were confused. Keiko wondered if that was a new concept for him, and was afraid that it might be.

"It'll be OK," Keiko assured him, "I'm sure you're right, and it's nothing. But just remember that we're here for you, OK?"

Hiei nodded and climbed off the couch. Yusuke promised he could sleep there that night. Keiko wished both of them good night and left.

But Hiei didn't sleep. What Keiko had said kept replaying in his mind.

Not that he could hear it over the pounding headache.


	5. Rejecting

"Ah!"

In the night, just when he'd fallen asleep, Hiei woke up to a searing pain in his forehead. He glanced sideways at Yusuke, across the room in bed, to make sure he hadn't woken him. But the Spirit Detective slept on.

Hiei stayed there in the dark, waiting for the pain to stop. But it didn't. It was like someone had stuck a branding iron into his third eye. And it only got worse. Finally, he stumbled silently to the bathroom.

Half-blind in the dark and by the pain, he felt for the light switch and had torn off the white bandana by the time he found it. In the mirror he saw the Jagan glowing a soft blue. It looked no different than when he used its power, only he wasn't using it now. So why the glow?

"And why the goddamned pain?" he whispered. The burning feeling only intensified. And then as suddenly as it had come, it stopped. The piercing sting disappeared and was replaced by a dull throbbing pain.

Hiei stayed there for awhile, just staring at the Jagan in the mirror. The glowing had stopped with the pain. No doubt about it now. The Jagan was what was causing his pain. The headaches were connected too. He just didn't know why.

He flicked the light off and crept back to Yusuke's room. The boy slept while Hiei stayed awake, his back to the end of the bed and digging his nails into the carpet whenever the pain flared again. He didn't sleep again.

'Tomorrow…' he told himself, 'Tomorrow I go see him. He's the only one who could know what's going on.'

* * *

The house stood on the only cleared hill in the miles of forest. The trees seemed to cluster around it like curious children. And the man, or demon rather, who lived there was himself a curiosity.

Hiei found him the way he'd found him the very first time. Sitting in his darkened workshop, polishing the earpiece. His back faced the smaller demon. But he spoke first.

"Back already?" the deep bass filled the small room, "Don't tell me you already failed in your little quest?"

"I've got a few questions for you." Hiei said darkly.

Shigure faced him.

* * *

Immediately, Hiei was reminded of their first encounter.

"_I'm not about to waste my talents on some insufferable bore, so you'd better have a good story to tell," Shigure droned, "You've got two minutes."_

"_To tell my life story?" Hiei asked disbelievingly._

"_Has your whole life been pain and suffering?" Shigure chuckled as he asked._

"_Yes."_

_The answer was so serious in tone that Shigure was caught off guard. He faced the little demon._

"_You've got three minutes."_

"You say this just started?" Shigure's voice brought Hiei out of his memories. Perched on the stool beside the demon surgeon, he looked up and nodded.

"I just figured you'd know," Hiei said while Shigure refitted the piece into place. Something about his movements didn't reassure Hiei. This had been a waste of time.

"And it's never happened before?" Shigure asked.

"No." Hiei shook his head. He could already feel another headache starting and reminded himself not to do that again.

The silence that followed seemed to suck the air from the room. Before fear could set in, Hiei managed to dredge up some attitude.

"Well?" he snapped when Shigure said nothing.

"I can tell you what's happening, Hiei," Shigure's voice had turned grave, "But it's not something you want to hear."

"Try me." Hiei challenged. And immediately wished he hadn't.

Shigure looked up with what was almost sadness, and said, "Your body…is rejecting the Jagan implant."


	6. Search

Hiei wasn't sure he'd heard Shigure right. It was definitely the last thing he'd expected the surgeon to say. And considering the situation, Hiei himself was not surprised when all he could do was stutter out, "What?"

"That, or the Jagan is rejecting _you_," Shigure explained, "Not that it matters much at this point."

"But what does that _mean_?" Hiei asked desperately.

"It means, Hiei, that you are now on the very painful road to your own end." Shigure told him, "When an implant is rejected, the Jagan and its user are both destroyed."

"There has to be something you can do!" Hiei cried, "You gave it to me, can't you take it back?"

"The headaches started yesterday?" Shigure confirmed.

"Yes." Hiei didn't see the point in making him repeat himself.

"The headaches are a precursor," Shigure elaborated, "They are a warning sign. The fact that you leapt from warning sign to unbearable pain in a day leads me to think you have very little time to be fighting this."

"But…" Hiei lost track of his argument as the implications set in.

"All I can do for you at this point," Shigure said, "Is pray that it is as painless as possible."

* * *

"This isn't like him. I don't remember him ever disappearing for an entire day."

Yusuke had awoken that morning to find Hiei missing. This wasn't so unusual, as the little demon seemed always to be moving. But when he hadn't shown up, not even at Kurama's or Kuwabara's house, and now the sun was setting, Yusuke had gotten worried.

"He'll turn up," Kuwabara waved Yusuke's misgivings away, "Maybe he met a pretty girl demon or something."

"Did you even look for him?" Yusuke asked angrily.

"Yeah, I did," Kuwabara shot back, "You told me to, didn't ya?"

"You just don't seem to think this is much of a problem."

"Urameshi, he's sixteen in our years, and God knows how old in demon years. I think he can handle himself."

Yusuke wasn't so quick to blow this off. It wasn't every day one of his best friends went missing.

But Hiei was closer than he thought. He listened to this whole argument from outside Kuwabara's window. He stayed in the shadows, where the boys wouldn't see him, and though he now feared the side effects, he used the Jagan's power to hide his energy from Kuwabara.

"Don't look for me, Yusuke," he whispered in the dark, "Why waste the time?"

"_He cares about you, Hiei."_

Keiko's words came to mind then, and produced in him the same muddled feeling they had the first time.

"So when are you going to go in and talk to him?"

Hiei hadn't heard the fox approach from behind him, but he tried to pretend he wasn't surprised. Yusuke had sent Kurama out to look for Hiei too, and he was just now returning. His emerald eyes watched the smaller demon in the shadows. Hiei didn't face him.

"When I can think of a way to break it to him."

Kurama didn't get a chance to ask what he'd meant. Hiei was gone in his trademark blur before the thought even occurred to him.

He remained on the doorstep for only a short time, debating what to tell Yusuke. When he decided, he joined the group inside.

"Any luck?" Yusuke asked him.

Kurama looked him in the eye. And lied, "No, nothing."


	7. Plea

"I've only seen this happen three other times, but each one of them begged me to kill them before they died."

Hiei did not doubt Shigure's words. He spent the greater part of the next day grappling with the blinding pain the Jagan now inflicted on him every so often. What seemed like months, but was only a few hours, Hiei spent huddled in a corner of Shigure's workshop, digging his nails into the floor so hard he left grooves in the wood. His fingers were bloody by the time he was aware of them again.

For most of that time, the pain in his forehead had pushed all other thought from his mind. He remembered nothing save that comment from the surgeon. And when he was able, he responded in kind.

"Suck on it, jackass!"

"You sound like them," Shigure chuckled, sharpening his round sword across the room.

"Like…who?" Hiei panted.

"Those humans you are so fond of."

"I don't know…what you're talking about."

"No demon would say 'suck on it, jackass'." Shigure pointed out.

"It's a perfectly good phrase."

"It's a human phrase."

"You're a human phrase…"

"There's another one."

Hiei refused to speak after that.

* * *

It was the only place he could think of that they would not look for him. Would Yusuke even consider the Demon World? Plus, he got the feeling there was something Shigure wasn't telling him. So he stayed close.

"This has to stop…" Hiei stated after a second round with the branding-iron-sharpened-dagger pain. That's how he described it now, since that's the thought that came to him in the last haze of pain. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could imagine Yusuke joking, "They should make a movie about that, 'Branding Iron, Sharpened Dagger'. Bet it beats Harry Potter in the box office." Hiei had chuckled aloud at the thought and Shigure had looked at him as if he were insane. And maybe he was. Or maybe these thoughts were all that kept him from losing his mind.

"There's nothing you can do," Shigure said in his deep drone, "I told you that already."

"There has to be something." Hiei insisted.

"I don't understand why you are so hell-bent on saving your own life," Shigure was growing angry now, "Last I spoke with you, you did not fear death."

"It's not my life I'm trying to save," Hiei countered. Unbidden, images of the humans back home flooded his mind. Yusuke, Keiko. Kurama, Kuwabara. And when had he started using that word? 'Home'?

Unsteadily, Hiei stood up and faced Shigure. "They care about me," he told him, "If I die, a part of them does too. And I won't let that happen."

The demon surgeon was silent for a time as he contemplated his young patient's words. Then –

"There is one other," Shigure sighed, "Another case like yours before you. She survived. I don't know how, or why. But if anyone can help you, it's her."

Hiei felt a weight lift off him. There was a chance.

He turned to leave but Shigure called to him, "I can't promise you anything, Hiei. But I wish you luck."

"Thanks," Hiei smirked, "but I don't need it."

* * *

"He'll come back when he wants to, Urameshi, it's not that big of a deal," Kuwabara insisted.

"No, something's wrong. He was sick or something, remember? And now he just disappears." Yusuke said, "Why am I the only one worried?"

"You're not." Kurama had been silent up until this point.

"I'm tellin' ya, it's a waste of time," Kuwabara said as they all stood to leave Yusuke's room, "You can't find him if he doesn't want you to."

Kuwabara didn't know if it was good luck or bad that he hesitated as the other two left. He didn't really think about it much when he felt the sword's tip touch his back.

"Don't say one word, or I'll kill you right here," Hiei hissed behind him, "And don't you think I won't."


	8. Rescue

Kuwabara could sense in the words Hiei's seriousness. But he also heard what he thought was fear or even compassion. Maybe he wouldn't do it. But Kuwabara wouldn't take the chance.

When the other boys were out of earshot, he said, "Urameshi's been lookin' everywhere for you."

"I know." Hiei said quietly.

"Kurama's seen you."

"He told you?"

"No," Kuwabara said, "I could tell by how he's been acting."

"_Any luck?" Yusuke asked._

"_No," the fox had said, "Nothing."_

"Hiei, what's goin' on?" Kuwabara asked.

"I can't tell you that." Hiei whispered.

"Because you don't want our help?" Kuwabara guessed.

"Because I know you can't help."

"And you don't want me to tell Urameshi I saw you," he ventured.

"No," Hiei said, "I don't give a damn what you tell him."

Kuwabara was surprised. But then Hiei delivered the catch.

"But you can't let him follow me." Hiei instructed gravely.

"I can't stop him, Hiei," Kuwabara shook his head.

"You have to," Hiei said.

"I can't do that." Kuwabara repeated.

"Kuwabara, listen to me. I need you to promise me," Hiei said, "I know you don't like me, and I'm not that fond of you either, but I will never ask you for anything else as long as I live if you can make me this promise."

Kuwabara hesitated. "I'll do what I can." he finally said.

He felt Hiei draw the sword away, and turn to leave.

"Wait a minute!" the little demon faced Kuwabara at his request, "Can I just..?"

Hiei eyed the human's outstretched hand. He remembered Kuwabara's power of awareness, and knew what the boy sought in making contact with him. He just didn't know if he should give it to him.

Finally, he took a step toward the boy. Kuwabara reached out and lay his fingers over Hiei's forehead. Instantly, Hiei's pain flooded into Kuwabara's body. He ground his teeth against the feeling. It was like someone had pierced his skull with a dagger and was carving out his brain.

He pulled his fingers away. Hiei looked up at him without emotion.

"Is that what it feels like now?" Kuwabara asked worriedly.

"No," Hiei said, and Kuwabara was relieved.

"That's what it feels like on a good day." Hiei added, and the human boy's heart sank.

Again, Hiei turned to leave and he was already perched on the windowsill before Kuwabara stopped him again, saying, "Hiei, we…we're gonna see you again, right?"

For the first time in his memory, Kuwabara saw sadness in Hiei's eyes. And heard it when he spoke, "Don't get your hopes up…"

* * *

"_So where's this survivor broad live, anyway?" Hiei asked._

"_North, that's all I could tell you," Shigure answered. "Haven't seen her since she came complaining of the headaches."_

"_Then how do you know she's still alive?"_

"_Trust me. She is."_

Hiei didn't like trusting people, but since Shigure's past patient was all he had, he'd make an exception. The demon surgeon hadn't exactly been helpful, but having a direction was better than having nothing. So Hiei headed north.

The Makai itself was mostly a jumbled jigsaw of rocky valleys and mountain ranges. But go far enough north and it was like nothing went downhill anymore. Behemoths of creation these mountains were. Few ventured into them. Hiei had the bad luck to stumble upon the few who did.

A wrong turn had brought him to a dead end canyon, and now he wasn't alone. Just as he turned to go back the way he'd come, several bigger demons materialized from the crags.

"Looky, looky!" the smallest one jabbered, shaking with excitement, "Hiei no Imiko has returned!'

Was he that far north? That they still called him by that name?

"Where's that bastard human friend of yours?" a monster of a demon asked in a voice like gravel. The dark creatures closed in on him. They knew of the team of Spirit Detectives, and they knew Hiei's part in it.

Hiei didn't answer. He was trying to get to his sword without them seeing. In one quick movement he'd drawn it and slashed the neck of the annoying demon who'd called him cursed before.

The rest of the horde rushed him, but Hiei was faster than these rugged hill dwellers. Half of them fell before the pain blinded him.

"No!" Hiei growled, but the Jagan was already glowing, small shafts of blue light emitting into the darkness periodically. "Not now!"

The damned of the mountains drew nearer, ready to take advantage of his weakened state. But Hiei fought the pain hard. He killed two more before dropping the sword and falling to his knees. The pain was worse now than ever.

"Damn it! You are so doing this on purpose," Hiei accused his third eye as the demons crowded even closer.

The gravel-voiced leader raised a wide sword over Hiei's head, ready to sever his neck, when an arrow shot from the night and buried itself in his neck.

"What?" Hiei watched through the agony as more arrows and throwing knives rained down on the mountain demons. But they all fell short of him.

As quickly as it had come, the searing pain faded away again. By now, all the demons who had attacked him were dead. And those that saved him showed themselves.

"Well, well, the prodigal son returns," the huge bandit grinned.

Hiei couldn't believe his eyes.

"I never thought I'd be glad to see you guys again," Hiei smiled back.

The canyon was filled with the booming laughter of the demon thieves who had raised him.


	9. Another Author's Note

Sorry, sorry! I know you all want a new chapter, but KM has a few more things to say.

**About the Characters: **I've been using a lot of characters we don't see in the actual series until the last season. But if you recall in the first chapter, I did say this was just after the Dark Tournament. Therefore, Shigure would still be living and though we haven't met the demon bandits yet, they always existed. For the record, those will be the last shocking cameos of my story; sorry if you're disappointed, you're welcome if you were tired of the twists. lol

**About the Updates: **Yes, I'm cranking out chapters really fast. This is because I now have less than a week before the first day of college classes, and I hope to get this story done and up by then as I will not have nearly as much free time after that.

**About My Fans: **Thanks for supporting me and sending me reviews. I got to thinking the other day though that most KM fans must seem pretty screwed up to other fic readers. XD lol

KM Fan: Ooh! Chapter 3 is up! I can't wait until 5 is done! ^^

Fan's Friend: But 4 isn't even up yet. O.o

Fan: I know! That's why I can't wait! ^^ *blissfully unaware*

Friend: ..?

lol Thanks again for all the reviews and for your patience. Please enjoy the next chapter when it is up.

P.S. I've reached the point in the story where the details are becoming a little fuzzy. XP But I am going to work tonight, and that's where this all started so maybe I'll get some new inspiration. lol Bear with me!


	10. Family

"Yeah, we heard of her. They call her 'Kimina' around here."

In the rocky hideout of his childhood, Hiei had asked the bandits if they'd seen the woman he sought. According to Wokou, their leader and Hiei's once surrogate father, she lived further up the mountain. But he was definitely headed in the right direction.

In exchange for their information however, Hiei was forced to tell them his reason for returning to his homeland.

"You're not really gonna die, are ya, Hiei?" Garuda was the demon who'd found Hiei originally. And he'd cared for Hiei long after he was grown and gone.

"What did Shigure say?" Wokou asked, his voice strong despite Garuda's apparent distress.

"He said the best advice he could give me now was to give up and pray that it ends quickly," Hiei chuckled.

"Bastard," Wokou shook his head, "This is his fault."

"If you die, Hiei, your blood's on _his_ head," Garuda vowed, "And we'll make sure he knows it."

It was then that Hiei realized just how much he still meant to these bandits. He was like their own child. These men had taught him how to lie, and steal. How to live. They were the basis for his code. There really was honor among thieves.

"You'll stay here." Wokou said with finality. Garuda nodded in agreement.

"I can't do that," Hiei stood, deciding his time here was through despite the headache creeping up his temples.

"But Hiei…" Garuda looked crestfallen. "You're one of us…"

"I've got friends waiting for me back home," Hiei explained.

"'Home'?" Wokou picked up on the word and threw it back hatefully.

Hiei could not meet his eyes. He turned to leave.

"Hiei!" Wokou thundered in a voice that had once made the small demon tremble with fear. Now he simply stopped walking and waited for the rest.

"You would rather spend what little time you may have left with those filthy humans?!" Wokou demanded.

Hiei was appalled by how quickly the family reunion had turned into a shouting match. But he turned to face his former parental unit when he answered.

"Those 'filthy humans' are my friends," Hiei snarled at Wokou. Then his expression softened, "And yes. I would."

Wokou made no response, and Hiei turned away again. He only took one step before –

"Hiei…"

When he met Wokou's eyes, it was like a father was gazing back at his son. Years had passed, and the little boy he knew was a man.

"Good luck." the large demon grinned.

"Thanks," Hiei smirked. But whatever he said next, he really would need it.

* * *

For two days he watched her, silently. She lived as far as she possibly could from any other demon, and she rarely ventured outside. What few glimpses he caught of her were through dusty windows and the tangled rows of vegetables she grew behind her shack of a house.

When the pain became unbearable, he'd slip away to the higher crags. He didn't want to give away his position just yet. And though he wouldn't have done it if he weren't utterly alone, he'd taken to crying out during the more painful bouts with the Jagan.

One night, when the pain was so excruciating he thought it must be the final battle before his and the Jagan's destruction, that he'd either die like Shigure had prophesized or kill himself, the only thing that kept him from going under completely was the memory of his parting with Wokou and Garuda. They'd led him up the mountain…

"_You're sure this is as far as you want us to go?" Garuda asked, "We can come along if you want."_

"_It's better that you don't," Hiei said, "I need to face her myself."_

"_If you come out of this, Hiei…" Wokou started, but seemed lost for words. "Just…don't forget about us."_

"_Never." Hiei smiled genuinely at the request, and left them to find Kimina's home._

Hiei would face her. If only to have that memory one more night.

* * *

Kimina sat in the darkened room. She stared out the only window, her long silver hair wavering in the shack's slight draft. Her decrepit hands shook in her lap. Her back was to the door. So she did not hear him until he was in the house.

His footsteps came softly but deliberately down the hall. He stopped just a few feet behind her, and even her ancient ears could discern the sound of his sword being drawn.

"Some 'empress'," Hiei scoffed, "You didn't even hear me, did you?"

"I needn't have heard you, Hiei no Imiko," her voice was like a flute, but one that had played no music in years, "I've been waiting for you…"

She turned to face Hiei.

And all three of her eyes stared at him.


	11. Memories

"I know you've talked to him."

"So have you."

"Did he tell you where he was going?"

"No."

"Me either…"

The two older boys followed along behind Yusuke, whispering to each other. They didn't say anything about it, but they could tell the Spirit Detective was on the verge of giving up.

"It's just not like him," Kuwabara went on, "It's been, what? Like three days now?"

"Four." Kurama corrected.

"Whatever," Kuwabara shrugged, never taking his eyes off Yusuke.

Why were they still looking? Maybe Hiei wasn't coming back…

"Think we should tell him?" Kuwabara asked.

"Might as well," Kurama said.

"You wanna go first?"

"Are you kidding? He'll kill me. Good luck though!"

Kuwabara sighed and stopped on the sidewalk.

"Urameshi!" he called to the boy in front of them.

Yusuke stopped and turned around. He raised an eyebrow at the two. There was something up with them. And he didn't like the way it felt.

"I gotta tell ya something…" Kuwabara started.

* * *

"You still have it…" Hiei lowered the sword and stared at the old woman. He'd had no idea. Shigure had said she'd survived the rejection, but Hiei had thought that to do so she must have given up the Jagan and its power.

"Yes," Kimina smiled sadly, the wrinkles seeming to disperse and reveal a much younger woman's face. The glow faded from her third eye.

"But Shigure said both Jagan and user are destroyed…" Hiei took a hesitant step toward her.

"Normally, yes," Kimina nodded her agreement, "But to avoid being obliterated, one must overcome the Jagan. Not destroy it."

"You have to tell me how," Hiei said.

"I cannot." Kimina turned away.

"Why?" Hiei shouted into the dust and darkness. She didn't even flinch.

"Child, this is not the life you want," Kimina looked at him again, and again he saw a woman of many fewer years gazing out of the hazel eyes. "You are better to accept death…"

"You don't understand!" Hiei yelled at the seemingly ancient demon, "_They _won't accept it! I have to go back to-!"

Kimina watched dispassionately as Hiei's Jagan exhibited its power over him. The sword clattered to the floor and the younger demon dropped to his hands and knees. The soft blue glow was replaced by an intense shine, the only light in the shadowed room. While the pain lasted no longer than usual, it was stronger than it had ever been.

Kimina made no move to help Hiei, and said nothing to him. When he could speak again, he pleaded with her.

"Please…" his voice was the barest of whispers, "Please tell me how you survived this..."

Kimina was now faced with the greatest choice of her life.

She chose.

* * *

"I'm not a great fan of fairy tales," Kimina told him, "So if you'll permit me, I'll make this easier on us both."

Hiei wasn't entirely sure what she meant, but he nodded anyway.

Kimina closed her eyes, and her Jagan began to glow its faint blue. Hiei was engulfed in images from her own memories…

_A beautiful young girl with dark hair and piercing hazel eyes stood outside a very familiar looking workshop. Her face was determined, even after Shigure dismissed her as a child._

It took Hiei a minute to realize he was looking at Kimina years ago. He was struck by how much she resembled him the day he met Shigure.

The overlay of memories had no sound. He watched as the girl and Shigure spoke without words. As frustrating as this should have been, Hiei was in awe of the power it took to perform this connection at all.

Kimina's abilities were considerably stronger than his own.

_Whatever Kimina had said must have convinced Shigure because he nodded and led her into his operating room. When the needles touched her skin –_

Hiei turned away from her soundless screams.

"What did you say?" Kimina asked, "When they pierced your skin?"

"Nothing." Hiei said firmly, "Nothing at all."

Kimina allowed him his self-delusion. She projected a new memory in his mind.

_The same young girl, barely a year older, stood in the same sinister workshop. Shigure delivered his cryptic words. Kimina stared at him._

_And left._

"You didn't believe him," Hiei deduced.

"He told me there were others," Kimina explained, "But he could not prove it. Supposedly, they were all dead."

Multiple memories came and went now, and Hiei had trouble working out their meaning.

_Kimina climbing the mountains._

_Kimina finding the abandoned shack._

_Kimina curled tightly in a corner, in pain._

Hiei was hit with the revelation that the images he was seeing were not the product of decades but days. By the end of a month, what had been a teenaged girl was now a withered old woman. And she was still fighting.

The last memory…

_Kimina surrounded by a white light. Brighter, brighter –_

Until the image was blocked out.

"I was thirteen when the Jagan made its final attempt to take me," Kimina told him, "It has been only ten years since then."

Hiei stared openly. Though she appeared to have been living for centuries, Kimina was truly only twenty-three years old.

"This is what the battle did to me," she continued, "I have no explanation for why you have stayed the same."

Hiei did. It was his speed. He was already years older than he appeared.

'You move fast enough,' Hiei remembered Wokou joking when he was young, 'Time's gonna have trouble keepin' up with ya.'

But he decided not to tell Kimina this.

Hiei told Kimina about his friends in the Human World. He had no doubt she could, and probably did, see all of it from within him. But her Jagan never glowed.

"I still don't understand how you beat it, though," Hiei admitted.

"The Jagan has a power all its own," Kimina explained, "Yours must simply be stronger in the end."


	12. Final Author's Note

This is the last one, I promise! ^^ Just two quick things.

**About the Names: **Kimina is my own character, and her name means roughly 'empress' or 'queen'. This explains Hiei's comment in chapter 8. Wokou and Garuda, though not my characters, were lacking names and I needed them. Garuda sounded so familiar I was convinced there was another character with that name, but my sister proved me wrong and therefore we went with it. lol My sister also put in a suggestion that, seeing as my writing is often funny and ironic, the leader of the thieves be named Wokou, which roughly translates to 'thief' or 'bandit'.

**About the Delay: **I have the story completely finished and saved to my computer! *holds up 'applause' card* Thought I'd let you all know that. However, the reason I took such a long break from posting chapters was not actually a break at all. I was out of town a few days, and then my internet connection went stupid for two or three days, and now college has officially started. I will get the rest of the chapters up as soon as I am able. I don't want to stick 'em all up at once, but I promise I will not leave you in the dark until graduation. XD rofl

OK. That's all I have. The finale's coming up! :D Stay tuned.


	13. Beacons

The trees were crooked and foreboding. The mountains rose up like talons on every side as far as you could see. The clouds hung low and were an odd shade of purple-gray. The very air was demonic.

Just like they remembered.

* * *

"The final struggle will be unlike the previous bouts of pain," Kimina explained. She and Hiei stood across from each other in the shack's only other room; a small and circular area with a steepled roof. The ceiling seemed to spiral in on itself. There was a hole in the shingles that the stars could be seen through. Kimina had lit a number of candles to ward off the darkness of the night.

"You will know it when it happens." she said solemnly. Hiei didn't doubt it.

"It's close," Hiei said quietly, "Isn't it?"

Kimina nodded. "I think the next one will be the last."

Just as long as it wasn't the last of him.

"Kimina?" Hiei looked her in the eyes, "There's something I need you to relay down the mountain, if you would."

"Why tell me now?" Kimina raised a brow.

Hiei smiled weakly, "Just in case."

* * *

Wokou frowned at the figures before him, the rest of the bandit horde encircling him with various weapons at the ready.

"And why should I lead you up the mountain?" Wokou asked, scratching his beard.

The boy had his hand around the large demon's throat before the rest of the thieves could blink.

"Because if you don't, you'll get to relearn the meaning of the word 'pain'…"

Yusuke's eyes were no less threatening than his words.

* * *

"And what of your human friends?" Kimina asked, "Will you not tell them?"

"Wokou will find a way," Hiei assured her.

No sooner had the last word left his mouth did the pain begin. Kimina watched the younger demon drop to the ground.

"Good luck, child…" she whispered.

Hiei didn't hear her. He knew right away this pain was different. It was not confined to his forehead anymore. It seemed to spread out over his entire body, probing. So he probed back.

Withdrawing into your own mind is not difficult. Finding it already inhabited by another, more sinister, more powerful force than your own, will rattle a person. Or demon.

Kimina had said it best when she told Hiei the Jagan had a power of its own. It had a power, a mind, and a will. And Hiei was looking it in the eye.

Outside, in the real world, Kimina saw Hiei's spirit energy surround him in a black flame.

The battle had begun.

Between mind and body.

For survival.

* * *

"Come on, you guys! I can feel him!"

Kuwabara waved frantically from a few ledges up. Kurama and Yusuke ignored him.

"Why didn't you guys tell me?" Yusuke asked bitterly as they climbed.

"We didn't even know he was here, Yusuke," Kurama pointed out, "He never told us."

Yusuke was silent.

"It's good he's not covering his tracks very well," Kurama commented, "I suppose he didn't expect us to follow."

Silence.

"He didn't want you to worry."

"I'm worried now, ain't I?"

"Yusuke…"

"It's alright," Yusuke said, stopping on a crag and staring up the mountain ahead, "Cuz whether he expected it or not, we followed."

* * *

"Shit…" Hiei ground out through his teeth.

The Jagan's energy was mixing with Hiei's. Black and blue swirled around him as each fought for control. Small tendrils of blue, like electric currents, radiated across the floor from the little demon. And the pain had quickly turned to agony.

"Fight it, Hiei," Kimina said gently from the side, "You have to be stronger now. Your life depends on it."

'No…but theirs do…' Hiei thought even in the haze.

For the first time in his life, Hiei wanted to give up. How much simpler it would be to say, "Screw this!" and let the Jagan take him…

* * *

"Uh-oh…" Kuwabara stopped.

"What kind of 'uh-oh'?" Yusuke asked, coming up behind him.

He didn't need to ask. From their position on the mountain, looking straight up, they could see the roof of the shack. And a soft blue glow from within.

"Guys…" Kuwabara's voice drew their attention immediately, "He's losing…"

They didn't need to be told what. It didn't matter. There had to be something they could do.

As if on cue, Kuwabara's energy engulfed him.

* * *

"I…can't!" Hiei bit out finally, "I can't do it, Kimina."

Kimina didn't answer him. She simply watched sadly. She had hoped Hiei would be strong enough. As she had been.

But what she saw next astounded her.

Just when Hiei was about to give in, a new energy filled him. It was like someone had caught him when he was about to fall. A long way. And he recognized the energy. He _felt _Kuwabara in it. How, he didn't know, but he wasn't about to ask.

Kimina saw what Hiei could not. Swirling around amidst the black and the blue was now a deep green hue. And the more of it that appeared, the less blue there seemed to be.

Unknown to Hiei, all three of his teammates now stood on the peak below, glowing with their own energy, and their thoughts trained on him. Like beacons in the night. And through Kuwabara, Hiei felt them. Kurama's energy was a radiant crimson, like a lantern among the darker colors. And Yusuke's was gold. Bright, brilliant, and warm.

Later, Kimina would tell Hiei what she saw during the struggle. The energies of the four boys becoming one to combat the energy of the Jagan. The pure white light then completely overpowered the blue.

But Hiei would not tell her what he saw.

Images. Yusuke throwing an arm around his shoulder in Maze Castle. A first attempt at friendship. Kurama leaping over the robotic arm of one of Ichigaki's experiments. Risking his life to save Hiei. Kuwabara trying and failing to land a punch on the smaller demon, time and again.

"_He cares about you, Hiei," Keiko said, "All of us do."_

"I'm not going to let them lose me." Hiei said firmly.

He'd love to be able to say the last thing he saw was the phantom grins of all his friends. That he heard their laughter. It was more poetic. Had more romanticism in it. But it was a lie.

The last thing he saw before the darkness was the light.


	14. Epilogue

**Two weeks later…**

Saturday. No work today. Jeans and t-shirts. It was too nice out to spend the day playing Halo 2, so the three boys had gone to the park to play soccer. Or attempt to. The sun was shining and all went well until Kuwabara tripped over the ball. He went face first in the grass.

"You OK?" Kurama called.

"Yeah, fine," Kuwabara wiped dirt off his face, "Shut up, Urameshi!"

Yusuke was bent laughing at his spot in their triangle. When he could, he turned and called over his shoulder.

"Hey! Come over here and play with us!" he yelled at the fourth boy, and added with a smirk, "Little Man."

Hiei was perched on the wall that surrounded the park, just watching their game. He didn't know a lot about the sport, but he was pretty sure they were doing it wrong.

Until Yusuke called to him, the little demon had been in his own world. Remembering. They never asked him what really happened two weeks ago. All that mattered to them was that he was OK.

And all that mattered to him was them.

"I don't think so," Hiei called back, "You guys seem to be screwin' it up just fine from here."

"Get over here, Hiei!" Yusuke grinned, and Kuwabara was laughing.

Hiei scrambled down off the wall and strode over to where they were playing. Kuwabara passed him the ball, but Hiei didn't return it right away. He stared at the ground, nudging the ball with his foot. Finally –

"Hey…" his voice was serious and drew the attention of all three boys. Hiei smiled up at them. A genuine smile. And said, "Thanks."

The other three smiled back, and together they all screwed up soccer.


End file.
